North Yorkshire Police’s precept increased after unanimous vote

Dan Windham

North Yorkshire Police’s precept will be increased by 1.99 per cent after the Police and Crime Panel unanimously voted in favour of the proposal on Friday.

Julia Mulligan, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, put forward the proposal after more than 1,500 North Yorkshire residents responded to a 20 day consultation.

A decision to increase the precept by 1.99 per cent in order to raise nearly £1.2m for the next year and subsequent years, whilst avoiding a costly local referendum, was met with a 64 per cent approval rate.

A decision to freeze the precept and receive a government grant of £640,000 to help offset the freeze was chosen by 33 per cent while three per cent wanted it increased by more than 1.99 per cent.

Ms Mulligan said she welcomed the panel’s backing for the increase which will be at a cost of eight pence a week for the average Band D home, or £4.15 per year, and said it was clear the public were ‘happy to pay for more policing.

She said: “Importantly, and for the first time, Commissioners give residents a voice in how that money is spent. For example, the £10m investment I approved for technology and mobile working will mean police officers will be spending more time out on the beat, something I know is important to communities up and down the county.”

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those members who are retiring from the Panel for their constructive and helpful dialogue.”

In a live webchat on the precept last month, Ms Mulligan had said a freeze could mean future funding problems with possible reductions in the number of police officers and staff, who make up 80 per cent of police funding.